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The student news site of Stillwater Area High School

The Pony Express

The student news site of Stillwater Area High School

The Pony Express

The student news site of Stillwater Area High School

The Pony Express

Newly elected members meeting for the candidate forum. The meeting was held at Stillwater City Hall.

New school board candidates share vision for future

Sadie Bettendorf, Business Editor and Online Editor December 6, 2022

  Two new school board members were elected on Nov. 8, while maintaining three incumbent members from the previous term. Returning board members, Pete Kelzenberg and Alison Sherman, will serve...

Picture of Mr. Maxwells classroom

It is imperative voters renew levy

Nissa Wilcox, Layout Editor In Chief October 28, 2021

On election day Nov. 2, district taxpayers will be presented with two questions: an operational levy to continue funding for quality learning to district students and a technology levy to provide new technology...

Class sizes average 30 to 40 students. If the first levy question on Nov. 2 fails to pass, class sizes are expected to grow by ten to twelve kids.

School Board poses two levy questions Nov. 2

Abby Thibodeau, Layout Editor-in-Chief October 20, 2021

The current operating levy expires this fall and the School Board is asking the community to renew it. Polling stations are welcoming citizens to vote on this referendum and other local elections on Nov....

Senior Elise Riniker uses her Flex Time to look at the previous boundaries of District 834.  Riniker attends all task force meetings and represents the student body's voice.

Long range task force analyzes boundaries of District 834

Dorothy Chislett, Graphics Editor November 1, 2019

The district has put together a long range task force together this fall/winter to analyze enrollment numbers and consider possible boundary changes if needed. These changes depend on the population demographics...

Students with a longer school day would have to take on even more outside of school work. This would mess up sport schedules along with other after school programs.

Staff Editorial: pushing back bell times detrimental

Pony Express Staff March 12, 2018

These days, it is a common sight to watch hundreds of tired students shuffle into school every morning.  During the winter, the sun hasn’t even fully risen; temperatures are below freezing for most...

District Think Tank brainstorms graduation needs

District Think Tank brainstorms graduation needs

Olivia Weirtz, Editor-in-Chief December 3, 2016

The district has been looking for ways to improve; their most outside of the box method has been to brainstorm ideas with a 12 person district meeting dubbed as a "Think Tank". The Think Tank was...

Press photo from http://www.834voice.org/home.html

BOLD costs school money with failed lawsuit

Abby Banks, Layout Editor September 28, 2016

Within the next few years, three schools will be closing their doors for the last time. The lawsuit against the school board which would have stopped BOLD, the district’s new financial plan, has failed,...

The BOLD proposal was first introduced Dec. 17 discussing the closure of Marine, Withrow and Oak Park Elementary schools. The decision was delayed until March 3 after request by Superintendent Pontrelli. "We were hoping from the meeting that it would be a 'no' vote and that they listen to the community and are willing to move forward and have community involvement in it," Withrow resident Debra Wagner says.

Proposal brings forth bold new ideas

Katie Hutton, Online Editor-in-Chief January 15, 2016

All around the district, changes are taking place. The high school is expanding, the sixth graders are transitioning to the junior high, and the ninth graders are moving to the high school. With the changing...

Taxation without representation

Taxation without representation

Sam Begin, Layout Editor February 24, 2015

It is tradition to have voters approve any local tax increase. After all, did colonial Americans not decry the British's taxes with the slogan, "No Taxation without Representation?" As citizens of...


Unlike most schools, Valley Crossing Community School is an optional school for families, which means that there is no boundary limit for the school and any family that wishes to send their child to attend.

Valley Crossing being sought over by two districts

Matt Brown, Social Media Editor December 8, 2014

Valley Crossing Community School is facing student population issues and must decide on the decision. VCCS is involved with three school districts, #834 Stillwater, #833 South Washington County, and #622...

Photo by Jessica Thomas 
"The board is looking at pre-kindergarten through fifth at elementary, sixth through eight at junior high, and ninth through twelfth at high school," said Principal Rob Bach.

New school board members elected this term

Emily Ness, Video Anchor November 17, 2014

The Stillwater School Board election was held on Nov. 4. This year, eight candidates ran for four seats. Incumbent Tom Lehman, re-elected for another term, said, “The election was great! I was honored...

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